Morientes: "I'm worried about Benzema and Higuaín's mind state"

Former Real Madrid number 9 Fernando Morientes offered Spanish radio channel 'Cadena Cope' his thoughts on the current struggles of Karim Benzema and Gonzalo Higuaín. The ex-Real Madrid and Liverpool marksman gave the striking duo a vote of confidence: "What worries me above all about this run is the effect it could have on them and on their mind state. I've been in that situation and being singled out isn't nice, but you always get through it in the end".

Morientes is better placed than anyone to discuss the criticism being levelled at Real Madrid's goal-shy strikers. This is because the former Spain international came in for similar flak himself during his five-year spell with 'Los Blancos', when he was forced to accept that such scrutiny comes with the territory of playing for a big club like Real: "At Real Madrid, the number 9 is expected to score goals. And sometimes you go through ruts like these, which can be fleeting or drag on and on... It doesn't matter how well you're playing, though, you know full well that at Real, you have to score goals".

Nevertheless, the 'Los Blancos' old boy is convinced that both Higuaín and Benzema will see the light at the end of the tunnel: "They'll break out of this rough patch eventually. When your confidence is low, the goal seems even smaller, the 'keeper looks bigger and you don't try to place your shots as close to the corner to make sure you hit the target. So then it doesn't go in for you, but that's the way streaks work...".